My 1/8th Mile Opinion!

[SGRIM]

I used to be 100% 1/4 mile... Mainly because of the Buick...

I still love the 1/4 don't get me wrong.

I also fully understand 1/8th mile racing now though... It does present a different challenge. Much more of a drivers race... No time for the extra chase down at the big end...

The biggest thing that finally sunk in with me though is you must run the 1/8th before you run the 1/4. It is the same 60ft, which we all know alot of races are won by...

There are two big advantages IMO.

1. Much less wear on the car.
2. Safety, as in less mph...

On slower cars these things are no big deal. However the faster the cars the bigger these two issues become...


I know Buick guys, and me, will always love the 1/4. I know it is our standard. I do however enjoy running the 1/8 more regularly... We are loaded with tracks in my area, most are 1/8 mile so we don't have much choice.

Far as our big car, we will run the 1/4 for special races only... For safety reasons I want to set our eyes on the 1/8 for our normal racing schedule...

 

[Grumpy]

There are two big advantages IMO.

1. Much less wear on the car.
2. Safety, as in less mph...

ok lemme give this a whirl..

#1... it is less wear but isn't the 1/4 mile what we build the cars for ?? We have always had street cars with drag radials. We would race RACE cars that would kill us out of the hole BUT then get horrified as a little V6 went flying by Oh "tuning" the car is also thrown into the equation. Don't detonate the car !!

#2 Racing is RACING.. **** happeneds !! Stuff breaks !! (hey everyone that drives on the street still break stuff). I have also watched a lot of slow cars crash over the years. IF safety is really keeping you away from the track or ya don't have a good feeling about racing SLOW the car down . Or move to Ct. where they have the lame 100' drags Just like NHRA goin to a 1000".. thats is so wrong in my opinion.


..ok thats my imput :biggrin:

 

[TurboTnZ06]

A lot of wrecks I've seen seem to happen before or right after the 60 ft mark. Personally, I've broken an axle (no cclip elim either) just building boost at the line. I've also hit some slippery stuff braking after the 1/4 mile and the car changed lanes on me and luckily the nitroused viper hadn't stood on the brakes either or I would have got into him-probably scared the crap out of him with a Buick at 125+mph on his back bumper.

Also I'd rather race the 1/8 in my Buick but 1/4 in my Z06, if that makes any sense.

 

[Nick Micale]

Just love "opinion" threads because there is no right or wrong answer! :biggrin:

Having participated in very few 1/8 mile events, they are competitive and can be fun, more safe due to lower MPH, and in my personal experience, less chance for damage.

If we narrow our focus here on this being a "Turbo Buick" event, then the playing field is leveled.

With the payouts being so large, I would re-tune my car, dig out my 3.90 rear end gears, go practice on the appropiate tree for my class and go have fun. :smile:

If I can beat a big-block car off the line, and out 60' him, I can do the same against a turbo car.

So this "opinion" thread should be directed at next years event, not what racing we do in CT or AZ, but what a racer [and his car] can do against his peers in THIS event!

 

[HOT ROD-GN]

That why I love 1/8 mile .Like shane said in his post Its a driver race.its all about the tree!and the 60foot.if your good at the1/8 your a bad a$$ in the 1/4 mile!:biggrin:if your car does his gob and you do your gob you win alot of races..

 

[GSX-PKV]

My car has evolved into a 10 second 1/4 mile street car and since I have no roll bar I can't race 1/4 anymore. I won't put a bar in. Myn car has ice cold AC, full exhaust, etc... and has become a quick real street car. I only go 102 (about the speed of a runaway Toyota on the freeway ) in the 1/8th mile so it is safer IMO. Paul

 

[gsgns4me]

Thanks for your views, guys.

For someone who doesn't have an all out race car, or make regular trips to race, it gets a little hard to see why all the fuss between the two. I do understand why "hard-core racers" might have more to say about it.

I have what I would say most of you would call stock cars. I wouldn't be afraid to take my family on a weekend trip in either of them. When I do get to go to a track (last time was 2006), I just jump in the car and go. Drive 1.5-2 hours to get there, pay to enter the DOT class (never owned a set of DOT drag tires and usually don't take enough cash to enter the foot brake class), and enjoy the day.

The closest 1/4 mile tracks are Bristol to my south, or Columbus to my north. I have never been on a 1/4 m track.

 

[SGRIM]

Thanks for your views, guys.

For someone who doesn't have an all out race car, or make regular trips to race, it gets a little hard to see why all the fuss between the two. I do understand why "hard-core racers" might have more to say about it.

I have what I would say most of you would call stock cars. I wouldn't be afraid to take my family on a weekend trip in either of them. When I do get to go to a track (last time was 2006), I just jump in the car and go. Drive 1.5-2 hours to get there, pay to enter the DOT class (never owned a set of DOT drag tires and usually don't take enough cash to enter the foot brake class), and enjoy the day.

The closest 1/4 mile tracks are Bristol to my south, or Columbus to my north. I have never been on a 1/4 m track.

Yea, sorry your thread got thrashed...

I agree. I hate to say it but the 1/8 is going to become about the only thing to run in most areas...

Don't get me wrong the 1/4 will all ways be our performace standard, but it is what it is:biggrin:

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

The 1/8 helps keep the ricers in check too as most of them need the top end. So from that point of view the 1/8 is great.
1-The other guy won’t come around me in the big end - build a faster car or bracket race.
2-It’s safer – Slow the car down.
3-the car won’t break – don’t race
Id drive the extra hour to get to the ¼ track and risk loosing to an import doing 121 MPH in a 12 plus second run.
I hope the 1/8 doesn’t become the norm but from seeing all of these 1/8 tracks all over the place it doesn’t look good at all.

 

[Grumpy]

lots of 1/8th mile tracks in the south.. up north most are 1/4 mile unless ya go to Maine.. They have an 1/8th up there.
This will give the guys who want to only run the 1/8th an event to go to . Others that want the complete race 1/4 mile can go to BG

 

[SGRIM]

lots of 1/8th mile tracks in the south.. up north most are 1/4 mile unless ya go to Maine.. They have an 1/8th up there.
This will give the guys who want to only run the 1/8th an event to go to . Others that want the complete race 1/4 mile can go to BG

Dan, I think you are taking my post wrong... I agree the 1/4 is better overall, I am just pointing out that many don't have that option any longer and the option will only get smaller with time... Nothing against BG, or the 1/4 mile...

The deeper south you go the bigger the 1/8 mile racing gets. Most of the really fast cars focus on the 1/8...

 

[Grumpy]

Shane I understand.. Land is becoming to valuable and now they are selling/building house near a track. People then want the track closed because of the noise . Luckily NED our local track buys up land as it comes up to keep a barrier from the locals.. BUT they still have a lot of restrictions as far as racing :redface:
..We have never ran 1/8 mile.. How are the rules when it comes to safety stuff??

 

[SGRIM]

..We have never ran 1/8 mile.. How are the rules when it comes to safety stuff??

Depending on the track the rules are pretty loose compared to the 1/4 mile tracks...

Basically if you are in the 7's you need a helmet, high 6's a bar, mid 6's through 5's a cage is the general rule of thumb I use...

The mph is lower so they usually just use common sense... I have a couple of tracks that run the 1/4 on T&T days but the shut down area can come quick with these bricks I have had to use the reverse more than once!

 

[Pronto]

I ran 1/8 at NED once. It was the last day of the year for them. I hated it.

 

[V6RACER]

Racing is racing, 1/8 or 1/4 mile. Doesn't matter. When the playing field is what it is, you gotta play.

With the payouts that Shane and Co put up it wouldn't matter if it was a 330' race, I'd be there to support it.

 

[dentmasters01]

Racing is racing, 1/8 or 1/4 mile. Doesn't matter. When the playing field is what it is, you gotta play.

With the payouts that Shane and Co put up it wouldn't matter if it was a 330' race, I'd be there to support it.

Ditto. Doesn't matter if your racing on a back road from the corner to the 3rd driveway on the left, or from exit ramp to exit ramp on the interstate. You race to win, given the situation. Especially for the money. Hell, i'd put tractor tires on mine and swamp buggy that b*tch for the right payout. 1/8th or 1/4. If you have a street car and you say you can't beat somebody unless you need 4 football fields to do it, then obviously they have a faster car in "normal" distances. For some that is hard to admit, kind of like the ricers that wanna race for a mile or race from a 60 roll ......the race is already over by then.

 

[Turbo-Fun]

Don't matter if it's an 1/8 mile, or 1/4 mile.......Just Race whatever it is and have fun..
They're building a new local drag strip near St George Utah and I was surprised it's going to be a 1/4 mile track. A drag strip in Illinois (Byron) was thinking about going from 1/4 to an 1/8 mile because of cheaper insurance rates....So far they're still 1/4 mile.

 

[Dusty Bradford]

I agree with Jason here. Racing is racing. If you want to go faster the 1/4, you gotta figure out to go faster to the 1/8 so it's all the same. With the payouts that was put up in these classes, it's a real mystery why more guys didn't show up. I hear some say that it isn't about the money and they are right. However, when given the chance to race for that kind of money there should have been people parking out in the weeds.

From what I've seen in years of both 1/4 and 1/8 racing. Most don't know what kind of time is fast in the 1/8. Only the guys really concentrating on improving their ET pays attention to the 1/8 time on their slip. It's a very important part of your run, as is the 330' time. I hope over the next year guys will pay more attention to this 1/8 time. The other aspect is the speed. It seems those that can run around 120mph in the 1/8 are fine with racing the 1/8. If it takes a racer a 1/4 to reach 120, most often they prefer the 1/4. For myself it isn't about the speed at all, it's about the acceleration. All the excitement is in the 1st half of the track, after 660' your just along for a ride. I prefer 1/8 racing and always have.

I enjoyed this event so much that it will replace my week in BG. Shane, Clint, Richard and everyone behind the scenes put on an event for the people, not for their pockets. There was no BS fees involved, just hard core tech all week and unlimited access to whatever tool or knowledge you need to make your Buick more of a performer. On top of that, they paid a very generous payout in every class. I'm already looking forward to next year as I will continue to support the events that support the racers and people.

 

[BlownV6]

Well said Dusty , and I agree completely with everthing you said!! Seems most of these folks must not really look at their time tickets , cause the facts of the mater is that if your looking for improvement the 60' and 330' is where its all at!! Mike

 

[3.8vsix]

I agree with Jason here. Racing is racing. If you want to go faster the 1/4, you gotta figure out to go faster to the 1/8 so it's all the same. With the payouts that was put up in these classes, it's a real mystery why more guys didn't show up. I hear some say that it isn't about the money and they are right. However, when given the chance to race for that kind of money there should have been people parking out in the weeds.

From what I've seen in years of both 1/4 and 1/8 racing. Most don't know what kind of time is fast in the 1/8. Only the guys really concentrating on improving their ET pays attention to the 1/8 time on their slip. It's a very important part of your run, as is the 330' time. I hope over the next year guys will pay more attention to this 1/8 time. The other aspect is the speed. It seems those that can run around 120mph in the 1/8 are fine with racing the 1/8. If it takes a racer a 1/4 to reach 120, most often they prefer the 1/4. For myself it isn't about the speed at all, it's about the acceleration. All the excitement is in the 1st half of the track, after 660' your just along for a ride. I prefer 1/8 racing and always have.

I enjoyed this event so much that it will replace my week in BG. Shane, Clint, Richard and everyone behind the scenes put on an event for the people, not for their pockets. There was no BS fees involved, just hard core tech all week and unlimited access to whatever tool or knowledge you need to make your Buick more of a performer. On top of that, they paid a very generous payout in every class. I'm already looking forward to next year as I will continue to support the events that support the racers and people.

x2!!